Sunday, April 3, 2011

You know the drill. It was the end of a long workday. I was racing from one errand to another before it was time to pick up my daughter for our dinner date. I didn’t have a moment to spare…

So when Richard, a disheveled character with enough sand on his face to nearly disguise the scar on his cheek, approached me asking for money to buy food, it took me a minute to catch on to what the Lord was doing. I honestly didn’t have as much as a penny in my pocket and apologetically told him so. After Richard walked on by, it suddenly dawned on me that I was standing in front of an ATM machine!

“Hey mister!” I cried out after him.

Richard turned around slowly as I raced up to him with my debit card in hand. We were standing in front of a Subway, so I invited him inside for a meal. Richard had a grateful heart, but also an aching one. He hugged and kissed me and thanked me profusely for the double meatball and tuna fish footlong sub—then he dropped the “S” bomb. Richard told me he wanted to kill himself.

“Brother, do you know where you’ll go when you die?”

“Yes, I do. I am going to be with Jesus Christ in heaven.”

“Do you really believe that?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said beginning to weep, “I just want to go now. I don’t want to live here another day. Nobody cares about me. Nobody loves me.”

Richard told me how the Lord talks to him about everything from quitting his cigarette habit to receiving healing for his chronic health conditions. Richard vowed to the Lord more than once that he would launch a ministry to help homeless people if he only had the money. Then Richard preached a message from Matthew 25:31-46 right there in the parking lot. You know the one. It’s where Jesus talks about feeding the hungry and visiting people in prison—the one about separating the sheep from the goats. (In case you haven’t read it in a while, the sheep enter eternal life and the goats eternal punishment.)

Some may have seen Richard’s sermon as manipulation. Yes, I knew he was angling for some cash. But by the grace of heaven I purposely looked beyond his desperation to the heart of a hurting man who was physically wasting away day by day. Richard was so full of the Word of God, even in his malnourished condition, that I finally asked him, “Did you grow up in the Church?”

“I grew up on TBN,” he answered. “The Church doesn’t care about me.”

That floored me. Here was a man full of the Word of God who felt totally rejected by the Church. He wasn’t always homeless and distraught. Somewhere along the line, Richard lost his hope. Now, he was living with a group of homeless men behind Walmart in the bushes, waiting to die. What went wrong?

God’s love never fails. And this man clearly had a running dialogue with God in which the Father was continuing to woo Him to His heart. I dare say Richard understands the heart of Jesus better than some career pew-warmers. Again, what went wrong?

I don’t know all the circumstances of Richard’s life. But as I continued to stand there before him, I also continued to ask the Holy Spirit what was going on in Richard’s heart.

Richard is a man who never found God’s love manifest in God’s Church. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for Christian television. But Christian television alone is not enough to sustain the human spirit. We need real fellowship with other believers who can weep with us when we are weeping and rejoice with us when we are rejoicing. True brethren who don’t judge us, but embrace us with all our weaknesses with the unfailing love of the Father.

There are plenty of wonderful local churches that are full of the love of God. It seems Richard never found one. Instead, he found churches that were full of religion, and not the pure and undefiled type James talks about. Unfortunately, there are plenty of those, too.

I’ve visited many churches in the past year. I’ve learned that there are many different flows—and as long as it’s flowing from the heart of Jesus it’s all good. But I’ve also seen far too many local churches with cultures that profess love but embrace cliques; that preach a heart for the lost, then rebuke people for evangelizing “without permission;” that confess children are the priority, but unless the parents have money to give to the offering the church van won’t stop in their neighborhood anymore.

What is going on? I don’t claim to have all the answers. And I’m not prone to focusing on everything wrong about the Church. Jesus loves the Church—and so do I. But I’m grieved when I see the cliques, the hypocrisy, and the control. That spiritual climate doesn’t leave much room for people like Richard.

Sure, maybe Richard never found the right local church. Maybe he didn’t look hard enough. But should it be so hard to find a local church full of love and grace? No church is perfect. I mean, as soon as I walk in the door any supposed perfection goes out the window because I am so far from perfect myself. But I strive to be a sheep and not a goat.

I ended up spending about an hour with Richard; an hour I didn’t really think I had to spare. But I am glad I did. I couldn’t get Richard out of my mind the rest of the evening, or even the next day. Here’s the bottom line: We can’t blame the Church as if it’s some separate entity that’s not living up Christ’s stature. We are the Church. And the Great Shepherd is coming soon to separate the sheep from the goats. Which side will you be on?

Jennifer is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including Breakthrough!

No comments:

Where You Go I Go – Jesus Culture

Choruswhere you go I gowhat you say I say, Godwhere you pray I praywhere you pray I pray(repeat)

VerseJesus only didwhat he saw you dohe would only saywhat he heard you speak

he would only movewhen he felt you leadfollowing your heartfollowing your spirit

how could I expectto walk without youwhen every move that Jesus madewas in surrender

I would not beginto live without youfor you alone are worthyand you are always good

you are always goodyeah...

you are always goodalways goodalways goodyeah, yeah yeah

Chorus

Bridgethough the world sees and soon forgetswe will not forget who you are and what you've done for us,what you've done for us

Chorus

Bridge

Bridge 2though the world sees and soon forgetswe will not forget, who you are,who you are, who you are, yeahwho you are, oh you are my god, you are my godyou are my god, you are my god, you are my godwoah, yeah..

Chorus

Where You Go I Go – Jesus Culture

Choruswhere you go I gowhat you say I say, Godwhere you pray I praywhere you pray I pray(repeat)

VerseJesus only didwhat he saw you dohe would only saywhat he heard you speak

he would only movewhen he felt you leadfollowing your heartfollowing your spirit

how could I expectto walk without youwhen every move that Jesus madewas in surrender

I would not beginto live without youfor you alone are worthyand you are always good

you are always goodyeah...

you are always goodalways goodalways goodyeah, yeah yeah

Chorus

Bridgethough the world sees and soon forgetswe will not forget who you are and what you've done for us,what you've done for us

Chorus

Bridge

Bridge 2though the world sees and soon forgetswe will not forget, who you are,who you are, who you are, yeahwho you are, oh you are my god, you are my godyou are my god, you are my god, you are my godwoah, yeah..

Followers

Playlist

Where you go I go - Jesus Culture

Loading...

There Will Be A Day - Jeremy Camp

Loading...

Israel And New Breed-Alpha and Omega

Loading...

Lose My Soul - Toby Mac

Loading...

Man I wanna tell ya'll something, Man.Man I'm not gonna let these material thing's, get in my way, ya'll.I'm trying to get somewhere.I'm trying to get somewhere, Thats real and pure and true and eternal.

Father God, I am clay in your hands,Help me to stay that way through all life's demands,'Cause they chip and they nag and they pull at me,And every little thing I make up my mind to be,Like I'm gonna be a daddy whose in the mix,And I'm gonna be a husband who stays legit,And I pray that I'm an artist who rises above,The road that is wide and filled with self love,Everything that I see draws me,Though it's only in You that I can truly see that its a feast for the eyes- a low blow to purpose.And I'm a little kid at a three ring circus.

The paparazzi flashes, and that they think that it's you,But they don't know that who you are is not what you do,True, we get it twisted when we peak at the charts,Yo before we part from the start,Where's your heart?You a pimp, hustler?Tell me what's your title,America has no more stars, now we call them idols,You sit idle, While we teach prosperity,The first thing to prosper should be inside of me.We're free...Not because of 22's on the range,But Christ came in range, we said yes now we changed,Not the same, even though I made a fall,Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I'm Paul.(YEP!)

How do I sense the tide that's rising?De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity,How do I sense the tide that's rising?It's hypnotizing me from living in light of eternity,How do I sense the tide that's rising?De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity.

(Lord what we gon do,We're relying on you, all eyes are on you Lord, all eyes are on you, all eyes are on you Jesus.)

Lord forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world,That fight for our love, and our passion,As our eyes are open wide and on you. Grant us the privilege of your world view,And may your kingdom be, what wakes us up, and lays us down.

(Hallelujah, Don't wanna lose our soul,No, Don't wanna lose my soul.)

Hey excuse me, I'm looking or the after party,Toby, Haha, yeah, last door on the left, you'll hear it.Thanks,No problem.

Made To Love - Toby Mac

The dream is fading now I am staring at the doorI know it’s over cause my feet have hit the cold floorCheck my reflection, I ain’t feeling what I seeIt’s no mystery

What ever happened to a passion I could live for?What became of the flame that made me feel more?And when did I forget…

That I was made to love YouI was made to find YouI was made just for YouMade to adore YouI was made to love and be loved by YouYou were here before meYou were waiting on meAnd You said You’d keep me never would You leave meI was made to loveAnd be loved by You

The dreams alive with my eyes open wideBack in the ring You got me swingin’ for the grand prizeI feel the haters spittin’ vapors on my dreamsBut I still believe…

Give Me Your Eyes - Brandon Heath

Loading...

Looked down from a broken skyTraced out by the city lightsMy world from a mile highBest seat in the house tonightTouched down on the cold black tileHold on for the sudden stopBreathe in the familiar shockOf confusion and chaosAll those people going somewhere?Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one secondGive me your eyes so I can seeEverything that I keep missingGive me your love for humanityGive me your arms for the broken heartedThe ones that are far beyond my reachGive me your heart for the once forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see

yeahyeahyeahyeah

Step out on a busy streetSee a girl and our eyes meetDoes her best to smile at meTo hide what’s underneathThere’s a man just to her rightBlack suit and a bright red tieToo ashamed to tell his wifeHe’s out of workHe’s buying timeAll those people going somewhere?Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one secondGive me your eyes so I can seeEverything that I keep missingGive me your love for humanityGive me your arms for the broken heartedThe ones that are far beyond my reachGive me your heart for the once forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see

yeahyeahyeahyeah

I’ve been there a million timesA couple of million eyesJust move and pass me byI swear I never thought that I was wrongWell I want a second glanceSo give me a second chanceTo see the way you see the people all alone

Give me your eyes for just one secondGive me your eyes so I can seeEverything that I keep missingGive me your love for humanityGive me your arms for the broken heartedThe ones that are far beyond my reachGive me your heart for the once forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see

yeahyeahyeahyeah

Testify to Love - Avalon

Loading...

Blessed Be Thy Name: Tree63

Loading...

One Thing: Paul Coleman

Loading...

I Will Lift My Eyes - Bebo Norman

Loading...

Song of Hope: Robbie Seay Band

Loading...

God With Us - MercyMe

Loading...

Who are weThat You would be mindful of usWhat do You seeThat’s worth looking our way

We are freeIn ways that we never should beSweet releaseFrom the grip of these chains

Like hinges straining from the weightMy heart no longer can keep from singingAll that is within me criesFor You alone be glorifiedEmmanuel .. God with us

My heart sings a brand new songThe debt is paid these chains are goneEmmanuel .. God with us

Like hinges straining from the weightMy heart no longer can keep from singing

All that is within me criesFor You alone be glorifiedEmmanuel .. God with us

My heart sings a brand new songThe debt is paid these chains are goneEmmanuel .. God with us

Such a tiny offering compared to CalvaryNevertheless we lay it at Your feetSuch a tiny offering compared to CalvaryNevertheless we lay it at Your feet

All that is within me criesFor You alone be glorifiedEmmanuel .. God with us

My heart sings a brand new songThe debt is paid these chains are goneEmmanuel .. God with us

Big Enough - Ayiesha Woods

Loading...

You turned water into wine - how extraordinaryGave sight to the blind - and still I carryMy own load when you told meTo take your yoke ‘cause yours is easy

And even though my issues seem trivialYou alone are never to imperialIts just the way that you love meIts enough to convince me

And I don't wanna box you inYou've been doing big things since the world beganSometimes I just don't wanna believeThat you're big enough - but you're big enough yeah!

I don't wanna box you in You've been doing big things since the world beganSometimes I just don't understand that you're big enoughBut you're big enough Jesus!

You turned darkness into light - keep my lamp burningAnd you are my everythingThere's no denying, your love is so amazingAnd even though my problems seem typicalNothing for you is ever too difficultYou never have reservations - love without limitations

And I don't wanna box you inYou've been doing big things since the world beganSometimes I just don't wanna believeThat you're big enough - but you're big enough yeah!

And I don't wanna box you inYou've been doing big things since the world beganSometimes I just don't understandThat you're big enough - but you're big enough

Oh, no matter how I try to get around it - I'm remindedWherever I go I'm totally surroundedIt's all about you - I can never doubt youEven if I wanted to…

And I don't wanna box you in You've been doing big things since the world beganSometimes I just don't wanna believeThat you're big enough - but you're big enough yeah!

And I don't wanna box you inYou've been doing big things since the world beganSometimes I just don't understandThat you're big enough - but you're big enough

That you're big enoughThat you're big enough

That you're big enoughThat you're big enough yeah!

Empty Me - Chris Sligh

Loading...

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns brightTo see how it gets in the blood.And I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild rideAnd found a little is not quite enough.I know how I can stray And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness insideEvery vain ambition and the poison of my prideAnd any foolish thing my heart holds toLord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

I've had just enough of the quick buys of the best liesTo know how prodigals can be drawn away.I know how I can strayAnd how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness insideEvery vain ambition and the poison of my prideAnd any foolish thing my heart holds to Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

Cause everything is a lesser thingCompared to you, compared to you.Cause everything is a lesser thingCompared to you. So, I surrender all!

Empty me of the selfishness insideEvery vain ambition and the poison of my prideEmpty me of the selfishness insideEvery vain ambition and the poison of my pride And any foolish thing my heart holds toLord empty me of me so I can be Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.Oh, filled with you. Empty me.

Martin Luther King "I Have A Dream"

Loading...

President-Elect Barack Obama November 4th

Loading...

Barack Obama Acceptance Speech

Loading...

Yes We Can

Loading...

American Prayer - Dave Stewart

Loading...

Hiding Place - Selah

Loading...

Something Beautiful - Newsboys

Loading...

I wanna start it overI wanna start againI want a new beginningOne without an endI feel it insideCalling out to me

It's a voice that whispers my nameIt's a kiss without any shameSomething beautiful(Yeah Yeah)Like a song that stirs in my headSinging love will take us whereSomethings beautiful

I've heard it in the silenceSeen it on a faceI've felt it in a long hourLike a sweet embraceI know this is trueIt's calling out to me

It's the child on her wedding dayIt's the daddy that gives her awaySomething beautifulWhen we laugh so hard we cryOh the love between you and ISomething beautiful

Newsboys

Loading...

What If - Nicole Nordeman

Loading...

What if you’re right?And he was just another nice guyWhat if you’re right?What if it’s true?They say the cross will only make a fool of youAnd what if it’s true?

What if he takes his palace in historyWith all the prophets and the kingsWho taught us love and came in peaceBut then the story endsWhat then?

But what if you’re wrong?What if there’s more?What if there’s hope you never dreamed of hoping for?What if you jump?And just close your eyes?What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?What if He’s more than enough?What if it’s love?

What if you dig, What if you digWay down deeper than your simple-minded friendsWhat if you dig?What if you findA thousand more unanswered questions insideThat’s all you find

What if you pick apart the logicAnd begin to poke the holesWhat if the crown of thorns is no moreThen folklore that must be told and retold

You’ve been running as fast as you canYou’ve been looking for a place you can land so longBut what if you’re wrong?

What if you jump?And just close your eyes?What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?What if He’s more than enough?What if it’s love?

Word of God Speak - Mercy Me

Loading...

I'm finding myself at a loss for wordsAnd the funny thing is it's okayThe last thing I need is to be heardBut to hear what You would say

Word of God speakWould You pour down like rainWashing my eyes to seeYour majestyTo be still and knowThat You're in this placePlease let me stay and restIn Your holinessWord of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of YouBeyond the music, beyond the noiseAll that I need is to be with YouAnd in the quiet hear Your voice

Word of God speakWould You pour down like rainWashing my eyes to seeYour majestyTo be still and knowThat You're in this placePlease let me stay and restIn Your holinessWord of God speak

I'm finding myself at a loss for wordsAnd the funny thing is it's okay

Nicol Sponberg - "Resurrection"

Loading...

I'm at a loss for words, there's nothing to sayI sit in silence wondering what led me to this placeHow did my heart become so lifeless and coldWhere did the passion go?

When all my efforts seem like chasing windI've used up all my strength and there's nothing left to giveI've lost the feeling and I'm numb to the coreI can't fake it anymore.

Here I am at the end I'm in need of resurrectionOnly You can take this empty shell and raise it from the deadWhat I've lost to the world what seems far beyond redemptionYou can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again

You speak and all creation falls to its kneesYou raise Your hand and calm the waves of the raging seaYou have a way of turning winter to springMake something beautiful out of all this suffering

Here I am once again I'm in need of resurrectionOnly You can take this empty shell and raise it from the deadWhat I've lost to the world what seems far beyond redemptionYou can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again

You have a way of turning winter to springMake something beautiful out of all this suffering

Nicole Mullen - Redeemer

Loading...

Casting crowns - Stained Glass Masquerade

Loading...

We are Africans, saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and we live our lives to please Him, to do His will, and to fill the earth with His goodness.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Is there anyone that failsIs there anyone that fallsAm I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look aroundEverybody seems so strongI know they’ll soon discoverThat I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okayIf I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it tooSo with a painted grin, I play the part againSo everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic peopleUnder shiny plastic steeplesWith walls around our weaknessAnd smiles to hide our painBut if the invitation’s openTo every heart that has been brokenMaybe then we close the curtainOn our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been thereAre there any hands to raiseAm I the only one who’s tradedIn the altar for a stage

The performance is convincingAnd we know every line by heartOnly when no one is watchingCan we really fall apart

But would it set me freeIf I dared to let you seeThe truth behind the personThat you imagine me to be

Would your arms be openOr would you walk awayWould the love of JesusBe enough to make you stay

Well if the invitation’s openTo every heart that has been brokenMaybe then we close the curtainOn our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone that failsIs there anyone that fallsAm I the only one in church today feelin’ so small